Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Blogging for Patry

Last summer, I was invited to participate in a very fun event, down on the edge of Cape Cod in Falmouth. Called "Death and Dessert," it brought a few of us authors together with a lovely crowd ... and lots of really great sweets! While I tried to avert my eyes from the frosted brownies, I found myself chatting with my fellow panelists. David Hosp, a sweet, funny guy, I'd met before. He writes legal thrillers, which makes sense, because he's a lawyer. Paul Kemprecos I'd never met before, but he was who I hope to be at some point - wise, wry, self-effacing, and just lovely. The fourth panelist was a local woman I couldn't believe I hadn't met in person before, Patry Francis. Patry and I knew each other from the online community Readerville, so I knew she was the author of a debut novel, The Liar's Diary, which sounded marvelous. But even she expressed some surprise to find herself in our midst. Not that "The Liar's Diary" doesn't have suspense, but it's more than a thriller, more than a family story. More poetic and yet readable.

Today, "The Liar's Diary" comes out in paperback. Patry is recovering from cancer and around the country (maybe around the world), people are blogging for her. So take a look at Patry Francis's "The Liar's Diary" today, or at least check out this trailer. You'll be glad you did!

Musetta at work

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Praise for Clea's books

"Simon’s best known for her cat mysteries like hardboiled (or should I say tough mouser?) The Ninth Life but she is equally adept evoking the gritty past of the sleazy rock clubs of our youth." – Do Some Damage on World Enough

"I consider Clea Simon to be an absolutely brilliant writer, regardless of what genre she writes in. Writing in a cat’s voice is an art form, and few writers manage to do it well. In this series, Simon takes this art into a new realm. The way she sets scenes from Blackie’s point of view, and the way she describes how he takes in the world around him, reflects not just a thorough understanding of feline behavior, but also a connection to the feline soul that I have rarely seen in other cat books. The best writers paint pictures with their words. In As Dark As My Fur, Clea Simon paints a sweeping emotional cityscape that will stay with you long after you put the book down." – The Conscious Cat

"This intriguing series launch from Simon, best known for her cozy Dulcie Schwartz mysteries (Into the Grey, etc.), introduces Boston journalist Tara Winton, who back in the 1980s covered local punk rock bands … Vibrant descriptions of Boston’s former music scene … readers with a taste for noir are sure to want to see more of the edgy Tara. " –Publishers Weekly on World Enough

"Mystery, music, nightclubs, animals in danger: on a certain level, it’s an unlikely combination, yet, somehow, it works very well. And why? That special blend, I think: passion, heart, understanding and voice, voice, voice. Simon’s is as strong and clear as the passion she brings to the stories she tells." – January Magazineon Probable Claws

"Music journalist Theda Krakow once again proves a feisty and determined sleuth in Simon's lively fourth cat-themed mystery. ... Well-drawn characters, a plot with many strings to unravel and plenty of appealing cats make this another winner for Simon." – Publishers Weekly

"As usual, Theda uses her investigative-journalist skills to save herself and help the cats of Cambridge, all while keeping in touch with the rock-music scene and negotiating an increasingly serious relationship with boyfriend Bill." – Booklist

"Clea Simon does an excellent job creating believable characters in Probable Claws. Theda and the rest of the cast of characters could each be someone the reader already knows in everyday life, or might bump into tomorrow." – Mystery Scene Magazine